Hat-cushion.



W. & J. LEVY. HAT GUSHION.

. APPLIUATION TILED NOV.19, 1912.

' Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

Ell/WW C' INVENTORS. ZZZ/49,? Amrm UNIT WILLIAM LEVY AND JULIUS LEVY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HAT-CUSHION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, lVILLIAM LEVY and JULIUs LEVY, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Cushions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hats, and especially to hats made of stiff material, such as straw hats, derbies, or the like, and particularly to an improved inner cushion for such hats.

It is well known that hats made of stiff material on standard blocks are very often extremely uncomfortable to the wearer unless especially conformed to each customers head, and that when such hats have been altered in shape by such conforming, they very rarely hold the conformed shape for any great length of time, especially where the change in form by the conforming has been radical, and more especially after being worn for a length of time in weather warm enough to cause profuse perspiration. It is also well known that many hats are stretched in the act of conforming and that they are more or less liable to assume or approach in form, the form imparted to them by the original block upon which they were manufactured, thus causing great discomfort to the wearer.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby stock hats may be made, in the wearing of which these difficulties will not be encountered and. whereby the act of conforming such hats to heads not radically deformed will be rendered unnecessary, thus avoiding the cost involved in such operations and the loss of time very often consumed thereby, often costly to the purchaser.

A further object of the invention is to provide means, to be incorporated in such hats whereby every purchaser may be provided, without alteration of any kind, with a. comfortably fitting hat of the class specified out of the general stock always on hand in hat stores, which comfortable fit will be maintained during the ordinary lifetime of a hat.

With these and other objects which may hereinafter appear in view, the invention consists in the improved construction, ar' rangement and combination of the parts, of a cushion of the character specified, which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 19, 1912.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

Serial No. 732,324.

will be hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically claimed.

In order that the construction and operation of the parts may be readily comprehended the invention will now be specifically described, having particular reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an improved embodiment, and modifications of the parts of the same, and in which-- .Figure 1 represents a perspective sectional view of a hat made of stiff material having a cushion constructed in accordance with this invention, in place therein. Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary detail perspective view of a modified form of cushion. Fig. 8 represents a further modified form of cushion in fragmentary detail perspective view. Fig. 4. represents in vertical sectional view, a portion of a hat with a cushion of the form of Fig. 3 in position therein. Fig. 5 represents a portion of Fig. 1 showing a plurality of tubes, and Fig. 6, a fragment of Fig. 3 showing the corrugations perforated.

Like reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 5 indicates a portion of the rim of an ordinary stiff hat, (3, part of the sides of the crown thereof, and 7, part of the top of the crown thereof, the usual outside hat band having been omitted.

At 8 in Fig. 1 is the primary form of cushion comprised in this invention, the same being in the form of a tube of elastic, flexible material, such as rubber and the like, which is secured to the inside of the wall 6 of the crown of the hat at its junction with the rim 5 thereof by any suitable means, such, for instance, as stitches 10. Inside of the cushion S is placed a strip 9 of material, preferably waterproof to protect the hat and cushion against moisture, said strip covering the exposed bottom and inner side of said cushion, being suitably secured along its lower edge to the junction of the rim and the crown. Upon the inside of the strip 9, and secured to the hat in a similar manner and at the same place, is a wider band 12, preferably also of waterproof material which extends farther up into the hat than said strip 9. The cushion 8 being elastic, it will give when the hat is pressed upon the head of the wearer and a hat provided with such a cushion will comfortably fit and retain itself upon heads varying considerably in size, the variation in the diameter of heads snugly and comfortably fitted by a hat containing such a cushion being equal to the sum of the distances which the two sides of cushion 011 opposite sides of the head may be compressed without actually bringing the opposite walls of the cushion into too close contact. Even when the hat is squeezed upon a head large enough to cause the walls of the cushion to be brought into contact, the yielding quality of the walls themselves will cause a comfortable fit. The inner band 12 may be perforated, as at 13, or the tubular cushion 8 may be perforated as at 11 in Fig. 1, to afford ventilation. If desired both the band 12 and the cushion 8 may be perforated for this purpose.

In Fig. 3 is shown a further modification in the form of a cushion, which in this form consists of a transversely corrugated strip 15 of elastic, flexible and preferably, waterproof material, such cushion being applied by any suitable means, such, for instance, as stitches 16 shown in Fig. 4, such stitches also serving to secure in place a band 14 of soft and preferably waterproof material, such band extending into the hat above the upper edge of the cushion 15 and inclosing said strip. Each corrugation of the strip 15 acts in the manner of a half, elastic, flexible tube, extending vertically in the hat which will give and cause a hat containing such cushion to comfortably fit a number of heads of varying diameters, the said corrugations, with the portions of the wall 2 to which they are secured, forming, in effect, vertical ventilating tubes, which may be perforated, if so desired, as at 17 in Fig. 6.

It will be obvious that a plurality of tubular cushions'8 may be used in a single hat, one above the other, and that other changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what we claim as new is:

A device of the character described, comprising an elastic cushion secured to the interior of a hat at the junction of the rim and crown, a water-proof strip secured in the same place and extending partially around the inner surface of said cushion and upward into the hat, and an inner band wider than the strip covering said strip and located between said strip and the head of the wearer and extending upward into the hat higher than said strip, said cushion and band being perforated.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM LEVY. JULIUS LEVY. Witnesses:

E. WVAL'roN BREWINGTON, HowARD D. ADAMS.

flames of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eateats. Washington, D. G." 

